Green farming development opportunities: the case of Lithuania

Research background: The increase in the demand for organic products prompts the establishment of green farms. In spite of the large global interest in green farming, scientific literature is not rich in the studies that cover the issues of green farming development. Although previous studies examine different aspects of green business, the factors that facilitate or impede the development of green farming, especially at the national level, are hardly considered. In order to fill this gap in the scientific literature, we formulate the following problem of the research: what opportunities of green farming development can be envisaged in Lithuania? Purpose of the article: To explore the opportunities of green farming development in Lithuania on the basis of the general features of green business development. Methods: Comparative and systematic analysis of the scientific literature, graphic and comparative data analyses, and expert evaluation. The results of the survey conducted among experts were processed with application of the following statistical methods: Kendall’s coefficient of concordance and Cronbach alpha coefficient. Findings & value added: The research has enabled to identify the factors that facilitate and impede green farming development in Lithuania. On the basis of the results of the expert evaluation, the recommendations for green farming development in Lithuania were provided. It was found that the main barriers that disturb smooth development of green farming in Lithuania mainly include economic and social obstacles. Frequently changing regulations on organic farming, complicated procedures of green farming certification, and lack of information about the sup-port and subsidies call for the development of a consistent green farming monitoring system and conduct of the efficient green market research. Extensive networking systems would provide the opportunities for green farmers to share their experience and observe all the economic changes: new market niches, demand-supply indicators, new channels of product delivery, etc. Non-financial green farming support measures (e.g. consultations, training, provision of information, etc.) could substantially contribute to the development of green farming in Lithuania.